The first things photographers think about when they head toward Moab is shooting the two amazing national parks located there, Arches and Canyonlands. Tourists and photographers head to both places almost as soon as they check into their hotels. With all of the attention that these two places get, there is some amazing beauty in the surrounding area that many visitors never get to. One of those places is the Colorado River Scenic Byway. Also known as the River Road, it follows the twists and turns of the mighty Colorado River for 44 miles and is one of the most scenic drives in the US.
Rock formations rise from the ground everywhere you look, and each one seems more spectacular than the last. Many of these formations have unique names, such as the formation on the left in this photo that is known as the Priest and the Nuns (it is also known as the Rectory). We started out here on our first full day in Moab at sunrise and captured the early morning light and deep shadows that started our day. This particular formation can be found in the Professor Valley section of River Road.